Life-saving means for sunken ships



April 19;, 1921. 1,625,704

B. M. BONILLA LIFE SAVING MEANS FOR SUNKEN SHIPS Filed Juhe 24, 1926, a She ets-She et 1 gwvmtoz B. M. BONILLA April 19 LIFE SAVING MEANS FOR SUNKEN SHIPS Filed June 24, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 19 1927.

B. M. BONELLA LIFE SAVING MEANS FOR SUNKEN SHIPS Filed June 24 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Qwwwtoa BUM. fizuzz'ZZa;

Patented Apr. 19, 1927. I

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN M. BONILLA, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

LEE-SAVING MEANS FOR SUNKEN SHIiS.

' Application filed June 24, 1928. Serial No. 118,285.

The invention relates to means for saving the life of ersons on sunken ships, and has especial re erence to saving the lives of the crews of submarines, and has for its object the provision of a novel construction of container to receive the members of the crew of the sunken vessel, and to seal them in the vessel while being floated to the top of the water, the container includin a compartment from which the air is a apted to be exhausted to create a vacuum or into which a gas lighter than air may be introduced so as to add to the buoyancy of the container, the container also having rings of buoyant material such for instance as canvas or duck tubes filled with cork, these tubes adding to the buoyancy of the container, and also acting as a cushion to break the shock of the container striking against piles, hulls of vessels, or other ob- 'ects.

} A further object of the invention is the provision of a roo1n=in-the vessel in which the container hereinbefore referred to is held for the emergency of the vessel sinking provision being made for the entrance of the crew and others into the room through a door that may be closed and have a watertight fit with the wall of the room, said room having a pivoted door in its top rovided with means for opening the oor I through gearing actuated from the inside 'tubeto of the container.

A furtherobject of the invention is the rovision of a novel means for actuating the door for the release, of the container comprising a wiiidlass having a cable runnin over a crane, said windlass bein actuate by gearing that is in turn actuate by means of a shaft extending through a tubular opening in the side wall of the container, said shaft having a slip connection with the ear.- ing so that it may be withdrawn within the container after the door has been opened, and a cap carried on the inside of the container secured over, the inner end of the revent entrance of water throng the tube into the container.

a The invention will be described in detail hereinafter and will be found illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- I Figure 1 is a iragmental sectional view of a submarine or other vessel showing a room in the vessel and the container in position in the room, the container bein shown in elevation,

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view on a pliane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on an enlar ed scale on the line 33 of Fi ure 1, and

Figure; is a vertical sectional view of the container.

In the drawings similar reference characters will be used to designate correspond ing parts throughout the several views.

In Figures 1 and 2 is shown the arrange-n ments on the submarine or other vessel for saving'the lives of the crew and passen ers on the vessel, 1 indicating the upper eck of the vessel, and 2 the inner deck. 3 indicates a water-tight room or compartment built into the vessel and as shown projecting through the upper deck 1 ,and adapted to contain the life saving container desig: nated generally 4, 5 indicating rests for the container 4 within the room 3. The crew and passengers enter the room 3 throu h an opening closed by the door 6, 7 in icating a permanent ladderleadin up to the opening from the deck 2, and t e members ,of the crew and passengers enter the container 4 through the top or cupola 8 9 indicating a door to close the top after the crew and passen ers have entered the container, 10 indicatmg a latch that may be of any type to hold the door in a closed position. the container 4 to be used in enterin and ladder 11 is provided within leaving the container, and 12 is a benc sur- The inner side of the wall 13 is lined with I felt or .other suitable cushioning material 17 and a cushion of the same material 18 lines the floor 19. The floor 19 also forms a partition between the compartment for the crew and passengers and a chamber 20 that is designed. to add to the buoyancyv of the container b having the air exhausted therefrom to create a vacuum, or a buo ant gas such for instance as hydrogen or he 1um may be mtroduced into-the chamber, 21 indicating a nipple having a valve 22 therein through. which the air may be exhausted or' the gases referred to introduced, 23 designating a screw cap on the end of the nipple.

Surrounding the wall 13 are buoyant members 24 consisting of tubular rings of canvas or similar material designated 25 and filled with cork or other buoyant material 26, and surrounding the cupola 8 is a similar ring designated 27 and made up of the same material, said rings being held in position by a net work of wire or other suitable material having strands 28 extending from a ring 29 surrounding the eupola 8 above the ring 27 and down andunder the bottom of the container and secured as shown at 30. Strands 28 are ressed into position by means of other rings 31, 32, 33, 34, and 36. 37 desi ates a weight in the bottom of the container that serves as a ballast to maintain the container in an upright position while floating to the /top of the water after being released from the vessel, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and also to maintain the container in an upright position by floating on the surface of the water.

The room or compartment 3 is provided with a hinged door 38 closing'its top, and to open the door facilities are provided operated by the occupants of the container 4 which will now be described. Mounted on the deck 1' of the vessel is a crane 39 in which is journaled a Windlass 40 and 41 is a cable trained over pulleys 42 and 43 j ournaled on the crane 39 and around a pulley block 44 secured to the hinged cover 38, said cable being secured to the Windlass 40 and adapted to be wound thereon by means of a shaft 45 journaled on brackets 46 secured to an outer wall of the room 3 and geared as shown n at 47 to the shaft of the Windlass 40. 48 indicates a shaft journaled in one of the walls of the room 3 and geared as shown at 49 to shaft 45, the inner end of the shaft 48 being provided with one member of a slip joint adapted to engage the other end of the slip joint on shaft 51 extending through the tubular ,bearing 52 in the wall of the container 4 and having any preferred means for actuatin the shaft secured to the inner end thereo a hand crank 53 being used for illustration in the drawings, but it will be apparent that any other means ma be adopted for this purpose.

t willbe apparent that when the parts are in the position shown in Figures land 2, and the crew and passengers have entered the container, that the occupants may lift the cover 38 by rotating the shaft 51 from the interior of the eontalner, and when the cover has been raised the shaft 51 will then be withdrawn Within the container, and the end of the tubular bearing 52 will be closed by means of a screw cap 54 that is carried in the container for this purpose so as to prevent the entrance of water into thecontainer. I

What is claimed is I 1. In a life saving mechanism for sunken vessels, a buoyant container adapted to contain the occupants of the vessel, said container having an inclined top portion, a cupola extending centrally from said inclined top and communicating with the interior of the container, a water-tight door in said cupola admitting to the interior of the container, windows in said inclined top and in the door, an air-tight compartment 1n the bottom of said container and adapted to contain a buoyant medium, and rings of buoyant and cushioning material surrounding said container.

2. In a life saving mechanism for sunken 'vessels, a room located in the vessel, a hinged closure for said room, a buoyant structure adapted to be located in the room and to be hermetically sealed, a door lifting device connected with the door of the room, gearing for actuating said lifting device, a shaft extending into said buoyant structure and removably connected with said gearing, means to actuate said shaft, and means to cover the bearing for the shaft when the shaft is withdrawn from engaging the gear- 3. In a life saving mechanism for sunken vessels, a water-tight room included in the vessel, a water-tight door in the top of said room, said room being adapted to contain a buoyant structure, a Windlass mounted on the vessel, a cable connecting said Windlass with the door to open it, gearing to actuate said Windlass, a shaft extended into,said buoyant structureand having a slip joint connection with said gearing to actuate thewindlass from the interior 'of the structure,a tubular journal for said shaft located in the wall of the structure,isaid shaft being adapted to be withdrawn into the buoyant structure, and a cap to close said tubular journal when the shaft is removed therefrom.

In testimony whereof I affix m signature.

BENJAMIN M. B NILLA. 

